Any idea what the coarse white powder all over Northwest Tribeca for the last week is? It’s in every crack and corner and floating in the sky. Looks like Styrofoam. My wife thinks it came from a photo shoot or something, maybe fake snow. I think it’s particulate from the white insulation they are installing on the back of 70 Vestry. —N.

I walked over to check it out: The stuff is indeed everywhere, nearly as far east as Hudson Street, with random pellets drifting through the air. A bunch of 70 Vestry construction workers on a break confirmed that it’s Styrofoam (“like in a cooler”) and that it’s from 70 Vestry, but they couldn’t say what its purpose is. (“We’re not working on that.”)

I’ve sent an email to Robert A.M. Stern Architects to see if we can get an official explanation. A local who works in contracting said that it’s probably part of the EIFS, or exterior insulation finishing system, which Wikipedia defines as “a general class of non-load bearing building cladding systems that provides exterior walls with an insulated, water-resistant, finished surface in an integrated composite material system.” And there’s more about EIFS on this website.

Got a question? Email tribecacitizen@gmail.com.

Previous Nosy Neighbor posts:
• Why has construction stopped at 30 Warren?
• Why is Tribeca Tower’s plaza still closed?
• What’s this restaurant opening on Spring Street?
• Why is the MTA parking buses on Church?
• Is that a Dan Flavin artwork on Worth?
• What’s the deal with 79 and 81 Warren?
• Is work finally starting on 172 Duane?
• Is this parking lot at risk of getting developed?
• Why do buses have backward flags on the windows?
• What are cars doing on the Esplanade?
• How do these metal braces work?
• Is Franklin Place really a private street?
• Where are the World Trade Center soldiers based?
• What are these new blue parking signs?
• What’s this thing embedded in the sidewalk?
• Where can I buy photos of old Tribeca?
• Wasn’t the World Trade Center Greenmarket supposed to be open by now?
• Why are these people gathering on Broadway?
• What are those things at Warren and Church?
• Why does 3 World Trade Center have tailpipes?
• What’s that thing on 60 Hudson’s roof?
• Why is this statue behind a fence?
• Why does 1 World Trade Center look so unfinished at night?
• Why do Brookfield Place’s escalators run that way?
• Why is the Duane Park flag almost always at half-staff?
• Where can I get breakfast in Tribeca?
• Who are the Goatsingers?
• Why was this cornice removed?
• What are those doodads on 60 Vestry?
• What’s up with the exposed wall at 111 Murray?
• What’s inside the base of 7 World Trade Center?
• What’s the Supermarket?
• What’s happening at 172 Duane?
• Is this rooftop addition legal?
• Who’s painting those faces all over?
• What are those panels on the sanitation garage?
• How many fake restaurants are on Seamless?
• Why is 15 Warren painted that way?
• Where do Laughing Man’s profits go?
• When will FiOS come to Tribeca?
• What’s up with 60 Hudson?
• What goes on at 444 Greenwich?
• Why are Goldman Sachs’s lights always on?
• Who’s responsible for the snowflake lights?
• Why does cobblestoning require sprinklers?
• Do newspaper boxes need permits?
• Why does 161 Duane say “Whalebone”?
• What’s the story behind those Harrison townhouses?
• What’s that thing at W. Broadway and Leonard?
• Are buses allowed to idle on Laight?
• Can you recommend any Tribeca picture books?
• Who enforces sidewalk-café regulations?
• What do the characters on 47 Vestry mean?
• Where was the original Blues Bar?
• Can we walk on the West Street medians?
• What’s the story behind the lights at 289 Church?
• What’s the Dream House at 275 Church?
• How come film shoots have a trailer with doors marked “Lucy” and “Desi”?